Feeding the 5000

The Gospels tell the story of Jesus Christ miraculously feeding crowds of 4000 amd 5000 men, not including women and children.  Large crowds gathered in the wilderness to hear Jesus preach.  However, at some point the disciples realized the crowds were hurgry and needed to be fed, or dispursed to go into towns to find their own food. 

The end result to this situation was a miracle, but Christ didn’t just jump to the solution. Christ first counseled with His disciples.  Counseling together and organizing was necessary.  The disciples explored various plans and alternatives, and suggested dispersing the crowds.  Christ’s disciples participated, brought together ideas, organized the people, and searched the crowd for availible resources. All the organization and participation and the counsel was a prerequisite to effectuate the miracle.  

In the end, the meal Christ provided wasn’t extravagant like chicken curry, but it was exactly what the people needed and there was more than enough and to spare. 

The feeding of the 5000 is similar to how the Church operates. Christ expects His people to organize ourselves, to counsel together, and to gather together our few meager talents.  And in the end, God says “it is enough” and multiplies and magnifues those talends; our abilities and capabilities like the barley loaves and fishes.

The miracle of the feedimg of thr 5000 teaches another principle. Revelation and miracles are apocalyptic.  This means that most revelation comes exactly when needed. Some criticize Christ’s Church for changing policy in the face of political and social pressures.  Critics claim that LDS prophets only conveniently receive revelation when facing dire circumstances.  

However, the “just in time” revelation fits perfectly with the Biblical pattern. Scripture directs, “Ask and receive.” The Doctrine and Covenants reveals that truth will be miraculously provided, “in the very hour” it is required.   This explains why Nephi only received the revelation of Christ’s birth in Jerusalem just hours before believers were to be executed in America. It also explains why the book of 4 Nephi is so short.  Following the appearamce of Christ in Americia, the Nephites were righteous for 3 generations. Miracles were numerous, but new revelations calling the people to repentance and warning them of destruction were not required.